Beauty business comes naturally to Calgarian Lourdes Juan

Born in St. Albert and raised in Calgary, Lourdes Juan, named one of the city’s Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine in 2013, is taking a bold approach to the beauty industry by healing the body from a holistic perspective as the owner of Soma Spa. Juan began as a 19-year-old working the front desk at a medical esthetics clinic. She later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in general studies and went on to receive her master’s in environmental design with a concentration in urban planning (architecture being her other love).

Born in St. Albert and raised in Calgary, Lourdes Juan, named one of the city’s Top 40 Under 40 by Avenue Magazine in 2013, is taking a bold approach to the beauty industry by healing the body from a holistic perspective as the owner of Soma Spa.

Juan began as a 19-year-old working the front desk at a medical esthetics clinic. She later graduated with a bachelor’s degree in general studies and went on to receive her master’s in environmental design with a concentration in urban planning (architecture being her other love).

At the medical esthetics clinic, however, she found a fun and female-friendly environment, and she liked how the work made people feel. Her enthusiasm sparked the opportunity to receive her certification as a laser clinician and she excelled. “I love connecting with people. I love hearing stories. I’m a really good listener and I’m also a really good talker,” she says with a giggle.

After several years, however, she realized her personal beauty philosophy conflicted with the clinic’s. It used traditional methods such as Botox, fillers and injectables. When asked by clients who were apprehensive about the procedures, she usually advised against it. So Juan decided to take a timeout for a year and worked with her own clients out of her home, pursuing her natural ideas on beauty. She was later approached by her brother-in-law to start Soma Spa. Juan decided to dream big and go after it.

Here is Juan’s take on things:

Q: What does beauty mean to you?

A: Beauty is not cosmetic. It’s not something that you can see; it’s something that you feel. It begins with healthy insides, a positive mind and a generous heart. When you feel good on the inside, you become magnetic. People gravitate toward your beauty.

Q: At Soma Spa, you take a holistic approach. Why is this important to you?

A; We take a holistic approach because we believe that understanding our entire body, head to toe and inside to out, is crucial to healthy living and feeling beautiful. Our treatments are beneficial, effective and results-oriented. We believe every inch of your skin and every organ need proper care to look and feel your very best. The Soma girls all follow the vision to ensure our clients are well taken care of. They spend time building a relationship with their clients and explaining our alternative practices and holistic methods.

Q: Since Calgarians experience dramatic climate changes regularly, what Top 3 rituals can we do to ensure our skin keeps its glow all year long?

A: 1. Exfoliate gently one to two times a week. Exfoliation produces hydration. From gritty scrubs to gentle peels, there is an array of exfoliation techniques and products that can keep your skin buffed and polished on the regular.

2. See a (skin specialist) for your monthly facial or facial acupuncture. Using professional techniques and active ingredients make a world of difference. Our skin changes with the season. Harsh winters and sunny summers require different homecare solutions.

Q: Although you are always on the go, what is one of your favourite activities you like to do in your downtime?

A; I love having a full schedule! Sharing a meal with friends and family is one of my favourite things to do. There are so many great establishments in Calgary that focus on local, organic produce and I love sharing stories, laughs … and food!

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